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Radios and Radio Protocol 

Hand-held radios are assigned daily to Crew Chiefs, Section Chiefs, other course management and individuals with an acknowledged need to keep in touch.  In 2008, there will be crews on two separate course using radio communications, on a variety of channels.  Radios must be returned each evening, so their batteries can be re-charged.

Each track will have a "course channel", plus other  channes for special use.  With so many people using the various channels, use of proper protocols is manditory.


General Rules for Radio Use


  1. Stay on the channel to which you have been assigned.
  2. Never put your radio down.
  3. Do not lose your radio. Use a proper harness.
  4. You are responsible for your radio until you return it by signing it back in to the radio room.
  5. Report all lost or stolen radios to your supervisor immediately. 
  6. Report all maintenance problems to your supervisor immediately.
  7. Never give confidential information over the radio! Use a telephone.

Radio Etiquette


  1. Never use profanity.
  2. Be professional. Radios are a tool to help you do your job, NOT to make social commentary.
  3. Only one person can talk on the radio at a time. It is not a telephone.
  4. Remember there are many other radio users who will hear you talking and would like to use the radio for their important communication.
  5. Think about what you want to say before you press the talk button.
  6. Be brief. Five seconds is the target.
  7. Speak slowly and clearly. Be concise and give complete information.
  8. Keep the volume at an easy level for you to hear but not disturb others near you.
  9. Volume down in QUIET ZONES such as Warming Hut or Start Area or where athletes are gathered.  Some radio communications could upset or give an athlete an unfair advantage over others.
  10. Don't  "step on" others.  Make sure another person's conversation is over before you break in.

Seelonce Protocol.


When Seelonce is announced over the radio ALL radios are to stop communications UNLESS it is an emergency or a high priority. This is so the Jury has full control of the race and if there is a problem it will be communicated by the Chief of Race only. Sometimes officials like "Gunther" (the FIS Director) wants to talk to the slippers or a particular Section chief where he has been advised of a problem and of course he doesn't want to have any interference on the radios. This is the theory and of course there are always extenuating circumstances that happen, i.e. if you saw something wrong I would expect you to advise the Chief of Course immediately, but if a security person or gatekeeper felt there was a problem they should not communicate on the course channel at all.


Radio Operation

1.    Turn radio on.
2.     Set assigned channel.
3.     Adjust volume for easy listening.
4.     To talk:
4.1.  Hold radio up to your face in a vertical position.
4.2.  Place microphone opening about two inches from your mouth.
4.3.  Press the push-to-talk button throughout your transmission, then release to listen.
4.4.  Speak in a normal tone, do not yell.

Radio Protocol


  1. LISTEN before you talk. Only one person can talk at a time. Consider your priority in relation to what is being communicated.
  2. To make a radio call, say the person's name you are calling, your name, then their name again.  Example: “Joe this is Sally, Joe”, or “Tremblay - Moore -Tremblay”
  3. To respond, say “Go for Your Name at your Location”
  4. Example “Go for Joe top of Weasel” or “This is Tremblay Tower 11 Garbanzo Chair”
  5. To end a radio call, say the word OUT or CLEAR so others know its okay to begin their call.
  6. To cut in on a less urgent transmission for a call of GREAT URGENCY, use the “BREAK…BREAK…BREAK”   transmission so the receiver of the less urgent call will know not to answer the original caller until the more urgent transmission has been given the opportunity to be dealt with.


General Radio Information


If we have to switch to the "repeater" channel, you must wait after you press the transmit button and before starting your communication, until you hear the "beep" . This normally takes about 2 seconds. If you do not wait, those receiving your transmission may miss the first part of your message.

Remember the second "course" channel, whenever a group want to switch to it, "Base or dispatch" should be made aware of it so they can log it for when someone (from another venue, possibly) can advise them where you are (on the radio) channel 2.

Weasel Worker groupWeasel Woarker Beer TentWeasel Workers: Christine, Scott and Murray